Portable elevator



Sept. 27, 1927.

' J. DOELCHER PORTABLE ELEVATOR Filed April 23, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

' .Tacab Z702 2127:?

BY O Q ATTSZNE? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 23, 1924 .r s e n m W n e m o ..4 D m 9 M wd 3 W m. n H m/ m 1 ill Patented Sept. 27, 1927.

UNITED. STATES JACOB DOELCHER, OF HILLSDALE, MICHIGAN.

PORTABLE ELEVATOR.

Application filed April 23, 1924.

The present improvements, relating, as indicated, to portable elevators, have more particular regard to an elevator of this type adapted for use in loading freight cars and more especially box freight cars. The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus or mechanism of this type which will be simple and compact in construction, that may be easily moved about and in which the raising and lowering of the platform may be convenientlycontrolled, the height to which the platform is thus raised being variable to suit the occasion.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in; which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings j Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portable elevator embodying my present improvements; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the operatingmechanism of such elevator; Fig. 3 is a transversesection of a portion of suchmechanism taken on a somewhat larger scale, the plane 'of the section being indicated by the line 3-3, Fig. 1; and Fig. 4. shows a slightly modified construction. V

The particular elevator illustrated in the foregoing drawings has been designed for loading cakes of ice into box freight cars,

in which useit is of course desirable that as one tier of such cakes is delivered, e. g. onto the floor of the car, the cakes for the next tier should be raised to'a higher level so as to be conveniently delivered on top of the previous tier. It will be understood, however, that the illustrated construction is notlimited to elevating cakes of ice but is equally adaptable. for use in handling other similar articles.

The frameof the elevator, as illustrated, comprises a base 1 of general rectangular form from which rise two. channel bars 2 spaced a suitable distance apart, the channel faces of such bars being directed inwardly, asshown in Fig. 2. These bars will be suitably braced at their lower ends on the truck 1 as by angleibars 3 and are connected at their upper ends by a cross bar 4. A platform 5 is vertically slidably held Serial No. 708,366.

between the channels 2 by means of guide blocks 6 attached to the respective sides of such platform, as will be readily understood.

For the purpose of raising and lowering the platfor1n,.two cables 7 are employed, these being attached to eye bolts 8 in such guide blocks 6, respectively, thence passing over sheaves 9, suitably supported at the upper ends of the channels 2, and finally being respectively attached to winding spools 10. The latter are mounted on a cam-- shaft 11 that is disposed transversely of and suitably journaled upon a horizontally projecting frame 12 that is carried by the channel members 2 at a convenient elevation above the truck 1, or .in other words above the surface on which the elevator as a whole is supported. The frame 12, it will benoted, projects far enough from the channels 2 to provide the necessary clearance between the-spools 10 and the platform 5 (see Fig. 2) while in order to adequately brace such frame, it is.connected by means of struts 13 and tie rods 14 with brackets 15 that project in the same direction from the upper ends of the respective channels 2 (see Fig. 1).

Forming in effect a part of saidframe 12,

but lying wholly to one side thereof and of I the corresponding channel 2, is a supplemental frame 16 upon which is supported the operating mechanism whereby said shaft 11, and thus the spools 10, may be rotated in proper direction or held stationary as desired. This supplemental frame is of suflicient longitudinal extent to project beyond the channels 2 on the opposite side thereof from'shaft 11 and on this end of the frame is supported an electric motor17, or equivalent prime mover. The spindle of the latter is connected by means of a roller chain drive 18 and suitable clutch mechanism 19 with an intermediate tubular shaft 20 that is transversely journaled on said frame 16, being mounted on a stationary stud shaft 20*, and is in turn connected through spur reduction gearing 21 with shaft 11.

The detail construction of clutch mechanism 19 is shown in Fig. 3, from an inspection of which it will be seen that the sprocket gear 22, that forms a part of the driving connection from the motor, is fixedly secured to the outer cone clutch member 23 and with the latter is normally freely rotatable upon the shaft 20. The inner clutch member 24, however, is keyed onto ber 23 an eratin lever 25 is orovided such lever being pivotally supportedat an intermediate point on the outer end of the stationary stud shaft that carries tubular shaft 20, and being connected with said brake member by; means ofa fork-arm 26 that engages with a circumferentialiy grooved collar27 on said member. The onecnd of lever 25. is provided with a suitable handle 28, while the opposite end, which extends beyond shaft 20, is connected by means of a tension spring29. with the frame 16 so. as who normally drawn towards such frame. A brake shoe 30, of arouate form, is supported from a bracket 31 on frame 16 v by means ofa link 82 in position to be pressed against the juxtaposed flat face of clutch member 2'4- andv a projecting arm 33 on said brake shoe is pivotally connected with lever at a point beyond the point of its pivotal connection with shaft 20 the latter forming the fulcrum of said lever.

From the construction just described, it willbe seen that: normally,-under the action of spring 29', the lever 25 will be operated to press said brake shoe against clutch member-24L, thus retaining the latter and the shaft 20, together with the connected winding spools, from turning. In other words, in this condition of the parts, the platform will be held stationary at whatever point it may happen to be at the time. Assuming, however, thatthe motor is running, if the handle of-l'ever 25 be pressed inwardly thebrake shoe 30is moved out of contact with the inner clutch member and the latter is simultaneously forced into-engage ment with the outer clutch member 28, as the result ofwhich the shaft 22-"is caused to. rotate in unison with-said outer clutch member, or in other words is now driven by the motor, the direction o-frotation being such. as to raise the platform throughthe winding mechanism roper. By holding lever 25 in an. .intermec late or neutral position so as to free inner clutch member 24 from outer clutch member 23, but without applying the brake shoe 30 with sufficient force to stop the rotation of said inner brake member, the platform may be allowed to descend under its ownwe-ight at properly regulated rate of speed.

In order to facilitatemoving the elevator about, the base 1 is desirably provided with truck wheels, two different arrangements of which are shown in Figs. 1 and 4t, respectively. In Fig, Lthe wheels 35' (preferably two will be employed, one oneach side) are mounted beneath the/forwardly projecting base portion 86, so as just to contact with the floor when the base l-proper is restin 'on said wheels 35 thereon. However, upon tilting the struc ture forwardly, i. e. to the right in Fig. 1. such base 1 is raised out of contact with the floor. and the. structure is wholly supported Handles 37 project conveniently-from the opposite side of frame 12, by which the elevator structure may be thus tilted andthereupon trundled to desired position.

In addition to such truck wheels 35, I may employtwo other somewhat larger wheels 38, one oneach side of the base, such wheelsbeing'niounted on studs 39- that project laterally from the corresponding channels 2. Suchwvheels 38, however, extend downwardly a trifle-below the bottom plane of base 1, as shown in Fig. 4, it being to this plane that wheels 35 at the most extend. The function of the added wheels 38 is to facilitate the turning of theelevator about in'a circumscribed space as may be necessary in a box car for example, the use of wl ieelis 35 toinove the structure about being inno wise interferred with.

Other modes of applying the principle of a regards the mechanism herein disclosed,

provided the -means stated by any of thefollowing claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as'my invention:

1. Ina. portable elevator, the combination-of a-base; two spaced, vertical standards on said base; a platform vertically movable between and guided by said standards;- a frame'projecti-ng'laterally from said standardsya transverseshaft journaled on said frame near its-outer edge; cables and cable winding mechanism connecting said shaft and platform for raising and lowering the latter truck wheels mounted on said base on the opposite side of said standards' from said frame, said Wheels clearing the bottom plane of said base; handles projecti-ng from the latter; and other larger truck wheels attached to said standards, one-oneach side of said base and extending below thebottomplane of the latter.

2-. Ina portable elevator, the combination of a base; t-Wospaced, vertical standards on said base; a platform vertically movable between and guided by said stand-- ards; a frame projecting late-rally from said standards brackets projecting laterally from said standards above said frame; struts and" tie-rods connecting the latter with said brackets; a transverse shaft journaled on said-frame near its outer edge;

cables and cable winding mechanism conneoting said shaft and platform for raising and lowering the latter; and mechanismadjacent o-ne side'of said frame for operating said shaft. 4

movable between and guided by 1 3. In a portable elevator, the combination of a base; two spaced, vertical standards on said base; a platform vertically said standards; a frame projecting latera y from said standards; a transverse shaft journaled on said frame near its outer edge; cables and cable-winding mechanism connecting said shaft and platform for raising and lowering the latter; mechanism adjacent one side of said frame for operating said shaft, said mechanism including a motor, an intermediate shaft geared to said first-named shaft, a loose-running clutch member on said intermediate shaft geared to said motor, a cooperative clutch member keyed to said shaft, a lever operatively connected with said second clutch member, and a brake for the latter.

4. In a portable elevator, the combination of a base; two spaced, vertical standards on said base; a platform vertically movable between and guided by said standards; a frame projecting laterally from said standards; a transverse shaft journaled on said frame near its outer edge; cables and cable winding mechanism connecting said shaft and platform for raising and lowering the latter; mechanism adjacent one side of said frame for operating said shaft, said mechanism including a motor, an intermediate shaft geared to ,said first-named shaft, a loose-runnin clutch member on said intermediate sha t geared to said motor, a co-operative clutch member keyed to said shaft, a lever operatively connected with said second clutch member, and a brake for the latter, said brake being also operable by said lever.

5. In a portable elevator, the combination of a base; two spaced, vertical standards on said base; a platform vertically movable between and guided by said stand.- ards; a frame projecting laterally from said standards; a transverse sha-ft journaled on said frame near its outer edge; cables and cable-winding mechanism connectin said shaft and platform for raising'and lowering the latter; mechanism adjacent one side of said frame for operating said shaft, said mechanism including a motor, an intermediate shaft geared to said first-named shaft, a loose-running clutch member on said intermediate shaft geared to said motor, a cooperative clutch member keyed to said shaft, a lever operatively connected with said second clutch member, a tension spring connected with said lever and normally tending, through said lever, to retain said second clutch member out of engagement with said first clutch member, and a brake shoe for said second clutch member connected with said lever so as to be pressed against. said member by the action of said spring.

Signed by me this 18th day of April, 1924,

JACOB DOELCHER. 

